Easy & Difficult Actresses To Work With According To Their Costars

Published on May 15, 2019. Updated August 20, 2020

As celebrities establish themselves in Hollywood, their talent is obviously a focus, but so is how others talk about them. A star’s reputation can be one of their biggest benefits or biggest detriments when it comes to their career, and while starpower can sometimes override a bad reputation, that doesn’t last very long. While there are many actresses in Hollywood who are highly sought after, others have fallen off the radar as word gets around that they are a bit difficult to work with. Here are the best and worst actresses to work with according to their costars:

16. Worst: Mariah Carey

It is well known that Mariah Carey has a well-earned reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s biggest divas, and whether on the set of a TV or film project or on the set of a music video, she has become known as quite a nightmare to work with. Her demands have always been known to be outrageous but one of the most public displays of her unbelievable behavior was when she appeared on American Idol. Her on-air feuds and squabbles with Nicki Minaj were awkward, unprofessional and embarrassing.

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15. Best: Gina Rodriguez

Gina Rodriguez has been working steadily in Hollywood since the mid-2000s but her stardom really rose thanks to her lead role in Jane the Virgin. While she is still relatively new compared to most on this list, she is already revered as one of the best to work with! Recently actor Anthony Mackie praised Rodriguez so much over her new Carmen Sandiego role that she began to cry. “She’s not sitting back and waiting for the hit of her show to garner her work. She’s going out and, not only creating work, she’s finding projects that are right for her, other women, people of color, using her power to develop that and give those people opportunities,” Mackie said.

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14. Worst: Shannen Doherty

Above many others, Shannen Doherty has perhaps one the worst reputations as an actress and it all started with her big break as Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210. While Doherty’s feud with Jennie Garth is well documented, it got to the point where she was essentially not getting along with anyone on set and was eventually let go from the show. Garth opened up about the time she finally challenged Doherty to a fist fight because she was so sick of her attitude, meanwhile after her firing Ian Ziering said, “I’m pretty happy she’s gone actually. Just a total lack of professionalism.” It was soon seen that this wasn’t uncommon behavior from the actress after she was let go from Charmed after three seasons for her feuds with co-stars, namely Alyssa Milano. At one point a mediator had to be brought in for the two actresses, but it became clear that one of them had to go. Both Doherty and Milano have spoken about the feud with Milano likening it to high school. “I can tell you that we were on the air with her for three years and there were definitely some rough days. Holly and Shannen were best friends for like 10 years before the show started so it was very much sort of like high school. I would hope that in our thirties it wouldn’t feel like that anymore.”

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13. Best: Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is one of America’s sweethearts, and it isn’t just an image. For decades she has starred in everything from action to drama to romance and comedies and has worked with many, many people and there has been nothing but resounding praise for the actress. Overwhelmingly she has been described as “fun to work with” while Irwin Winkler, who directed her techno-thriller, The Net, recalled seeing her kiss everyone from grips to soundmen good-bye every night after shooting wrapped. Bullock’s professionalism and kindness has never wavered and she continues to be one of the best in the business.

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12. Worst: Teri Hatcher

Teri Hatcher was one of the leads that kept Desperate Housewives going for eight seasons but it seems it was not all smooth sailing on-set. Many reports have indicated that Hatcer’s attitude and ego made her difficult to work with on-set and she was quickly alienated from the rest of the cast. Nicolette Sheridan, who appeared on the show as Edie Britt, once called Hatcher the “meanest woman in the world” in her wrongful termination lawsuit. Eva Longoria and Felicity Huffman have also briefly referenced Hatcher being a loner on set and there are reports she insisted on being in the center at promo shoots. Years later when the series wrapped in 2012, the actresses bought goodbye gifts for the cast and crew, but noticeably left Hatcher’s name off the presents.

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11. Best: Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence skyrocketed to fame extremely quickly thanks to her role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games and remarkably the spotlight did not overwhelm her. Lawrence quickly became known as one of the most down-to-earth actresses in the industry and praised for being not only real but humble. Everyone from Hollywood veterans like Woody Harrelson and Michelle Pfeiffer to other young actors similar to Lawrence have gushed over working with the star, praising not only her “commitment” and “natural talent” but also her “wit” and humor.

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10. Worst: Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is known for being hard to work with, but she is one of the few whose careers haven’t really suffered. For the entirety of her career, Paltrow has been known as “cold” and exceptionally rude and was even named “Most Stuck-Up” in Movieline magazine back in 1998.

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9. Best: Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon’s career has spanned all kinds of avenues in the entertainment industry, but through all of the changes, one thing that has remained the same is those clamoring to work with the star. “I think we have a habit of putting many labels on strong women. Reese is not bossy. She is determined,” Kate Hudson said of the fellow star. “She is the kind of woman who can inspire a movement. She is a true modern-day feminist.” Actress Laura Dern who stars in Big Little Lies praised costars Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman saying, “Thank you to Nicole and Reese’s moms, for not only giving us extraordinary women but really well-read women because that’s how I’m getting parts.”

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8. Worst: Lea Michele

Lea Michele was the breakout star of Glee, and apparently it didn’t take long for the fame to go to her head. Actress Naya Rivera was one of the most vocal about her issues with Michele, claiming the actress didn’t like to share the spotlight “If I’d complained about anyone or anything, she’d assumed I was b*tching about her,” she wrote in her memoir Sorry, Not Sorry. “Soon, she started to ignore me, and eventually it got to the point where she didn’t say a word to me for all of season six.” Other rumors about Michele’s behavior indicated that she thought filming schedules revolved around her, and Kate Hudson, who appeared in season four, allegedly said Michele is a “nightmare,” but those comments were never confirmed by Hudson.

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7. Best: Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is a Hollywood icon and for many celebrities, especially females, she is a role model and mentor. Streep is not only talented, but tough and smart and everyone in the industry who has gotten to know her or work with closely her have been in complete awe. “Those were the most exciting, magical days I’ve had on a set in all my career,” Tom Hanks said about working for the first time with Meryl Streep in Steven Spielberg’s The Post. Actress Zoe Kravitz admitted to fully “fangirling” when she found out that Meryl Streep had joined the cast of Big Little Lies. “I’m still having a really hard time casually saying Meryl in the first, like, just her first name,” Kravitz told Entertainment Tonight. “I had lunch with the cast and Meryl, and I still can’t do it. Meryl Streep, you guys. Meryl f—king Streep!”

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6. Worst: Mischa Barton

Actress Mischa Barton was the “It Girl” of the early to mid-2000’s thanks to her starring role in The O.C., unfortunately a bad reputation quickly followed. In only three seasons, Barton’s diva behavior was becoming more widely reported and Tate Donovan who played her father on the show was extremely quick to call her out when asked who the biggest dive on set was. “Definitely Mischa. She was pretty … um … yeah,” he responded. Although she fell off the radar as her poor reputation and personal battle with fame continued, it seemed that not much had changed when she returned to the spotlight for season 22 of Dancing With the Stars where she caused nothing but issues for her pro partner Artem Chigvintsev. She was also sued in 2014 when she failed to show up to the filming of a movie shew as supposed to star in. Instead of showing up for filming, Barton instead skipped town and went on a European vacation, and producers ended up sueing when they saw her posting photos of her trip on social media while she was supposed to be at work.

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5. Best: Drew Barrymore

It is no secret that Drew Barrymore had a rough middle ground between child stardom and becoming an adult actor, but she has never ceased to be someone that others in the industry are in awe of. “Drew is so easy going. She’s open and warm… I know Drew has been many things in her life… but she gives her all. She’s altruistic and always thinks of other people first,” Toni Collette said of the actress. Meanwhile Adam Sandler, who has notably loved to work with Barrymore has said she is like family and gushed she is “way cooler” than him.

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4. Worst: Lindsay Lohan

Unfortunately, Lindsay Lohan is just one of many stars who didn’t get the proper support to make it through child stardom unscathed, and in the end her behavior has earned her a very poor reputation. For the most part, her use of drugs and alcohol was to blame when she became known as one of the biggest divas and most toxic actresses to work with in Hollywood. She has held up production because of her antics and at times has not even shown up to sets at all. After her behavior on the set of her 2007 film Georgia Rule, the CEO of the production company behind the film sent a letter threatening legal action.”Since the commencement of principal photography of Georgia Rule, you have frequently failed to arrive on time to the set. Today, you did not show for work (all day). I am now told you don’t plan to work tomorrow because you are ‘not feeling well.’ You and your representatives have told us that your various late arrivals and absences from the set have been the result of illness; today we were told it was ‘heat exhaustion.’ We are well aware that your ongoing all night heavy partying is the real reason for your so called ‘exhaustion.’ We refuse to accept bogus excuses for your behavior,” the letter stated in part.

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3. Best: Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore has come a long way since her first ever on-screen role as high school mean girl Lana in The Princess Diaries. As her career has blossomed, especially with her role as Rebecca Pearson in This Is Us, more and more have praised the actress for not only being incredibly talented and hard-working but for having a heart of gold. “Mandy, you’re an absolute gem,” her A Walk to Remember costar Shane West said at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. “Your smile is ridiculous — seriously, it’s ridiculous; it lights up a room when you walk in. Your energy is irresistible and your heart is second to none. I always knew you were incredibly talented and I always knew you were going to go on to do big things and amazing things, and you have… I couldn’t be more proud of you. I couldn’t be more happy for you.” Of course fans of This Is Us also know that the cast can’t say enough to praise the actress who plays their matriarch. “It’s Mandy Moore. She’s a little angel baby from the heavens, and so is Susan. And the way that they handle themselves with such grace,” Chrissy Metz said of Moore and Susan Kelechi Watson. “I don’t know what grace is so I’m working on that. I learn a lot from these ladies in so many ways and I’m so happy just to be in the presence. And yeah, it’s super fun.”

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2. Worst: Katherine Heigl

It is absolutely no secret that Katherine Heigl has one of the worst reputations in Hollywood, and it is one that she can’t seem to shake. While Heigl’s big break came as an original cast member of the TV juggernaut Grey’s Anatomy, it is also where her bad reputation began. Many remember the infamous feud between Heigl and Grey’s Anatomy creator and head writer Shonda Rhimes after the actress withdrew her name from the Emmy nominations because she felt the writing wasn’t good enough to warrant an Emmy. Not long after, Heigl was let go from Grey’s and Shonda Rhimes was not shy about disliking the actress afterward. Things didn’t get much better after Heigl went on to criticize her first big film break: Knocked Up. Heigl’s reputation for being rude and acting like a diva after filming New Year’s Eve together, a source said that Sofia Vergara had had enough of Heigl’s behavior. “Katherine’s always complaining about having to stand outside in the cold for long periods of time, and Sofia can’t stand her whining. Finally, Sofia told her to be grateful that she has the role in the first place. That clearly didn’t go over well,” the source said.

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1. Best: Viola Davis

Viola Davis is one of the most talented people in Hollywood, and it isn’t surprising that directors and other stars line up to work with her. “It’s awe-inspiring,” says Cynthia Erivo, when asked about watching Davis film her scenes for the heist thriller Widows. “She just knows what she’s doing — she’s made for this.” Brian Tyree Henry, also said, “It was a living breathing masterclass, honestly. Because as up-and-comers ourselves, we have watched her, we have studied her, we have thrown our accolades at the TV screen. I’ve stood up in my home and screamed at Viola for something, you know what I mean? That’s something that’s so amazing with this woman, with this Black woman, out here in this industry doing what she does.” Meanwhile Hollywood icon Denzel Washington has called Davis “obviously brilliant.” He added, “I really feel this is her time, her turn.”